Locke One Guy One Car Interesting Movie Concept
So Tom Hardy happens to have been in a number of my favorite movies of all time. He was in Layer Cake, Blackhawk Down and the amazing television series Band of Brothers. He was Bane, one of the greatest villains of all time, in Batman. But definitely my favorite role for Mr. Hardy was the glorious conman, Eames, in the movie Inception.
But check this movie concept out. I would have loved to been in the room when they pitched this to the money guys.
“Ok, work with me here. Check this out. How about we take a guy. Put him behind the wheel of a car. And let him drive. This will be fresh. Really.”
“Ok, so its a buddy road movie? Traveling across the country? Like a Thelma & Louise for guys? Who does he go and pick up? What’s their relationship? Oh, or is it like Collateral with Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise?”
“Uh, no. This is just a guy driving. Get it? See? Innovative.”
“What? Then what’s the movie, who is he talking to? Himself? I don’t get it.”
“No no no, his cell phone. He’s making phone calls.”
“He’s making phone calls and then picking people up and driving them places and then…”
“No. It’s one guy. In a car. Driving while talking on the phone. You know His cell is connected to his phone via blue tooth, so there are conversations. They’ll be sweet conversations. Lots of riveting dialogue.”
“Like the movie Phone booth? With snipers and bomb threats?”
“Nothing of the sort. Think concrete.”
“Concrete? Thinking concretely? Not metaphysically?”
“No, sidewalks, buildings. Concrete.”
“WHAT?”
“He’s a successful construction manager, about to close out a deal. But it all goes sideways on him while driving. Tense phone calls.”
“Tense phone calls?!? No no no no… absolutely not.”
“Oh, well, seeing as though all we need for budget is a car rental a single actor, and a really good writer, I don’t think we need you. Never mind.”
“Well, ok then.”
I actually love the concept for this movie. But the question is all about the writing. If this has brilliant writing then it will work. Tom Hardy isn’t even a question. He will knock anything he is given out of the park. Definitely.
Here is the trailer which will help clarify this odd ball movie a bit: